1. Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica (Italy)
2. Sheffield Hallam University (UK)
3. Cosylab (Slovenia)
In radiotherapy, patients are typically treated in supine position, with the arm of the linear accelerator rotating around the patients. The preparatory CT-scan (i.e. the planning CT) is thus performed in the same position as typically done for diagnostic imaging.
However, several recent studies suggested that patient positioning in an upright position (sitting or standing) could improve treatment delivery to some tumor locations. In pelvic tumors, in upright positioning, the bladder is more elongated in anterior posterior direction and the distance between the sacrum and the bladder is reduced, suggesting that the small bowel could be spared more efficiently during radiotherapy. In the thorax, it has been shown that the breathing motion and especially the cranio-caudal movement is significantly reduced, thus contributing to the generation of a much smaller PTV, thus allowing irradiation of less lung tissue. In head and neck tumor, on top of improved patient comfort, upright positioning could better separate the tumor volume from the posterior pharyngeal wall, thus contributing to lower dose delivery on the constrictor muscles, thus less radiation-induced dysphagia.
In this framework, the goal of the project is to demonstrate and quantitate the advantages and disadvantages of up-right radiotherapy patient positioning in comparison to the standard positioning for head and neck, lung and breast cancer patients. More specifically this project will focus on patient positioning set-up for patients with lung, breast and head and neck tumors.
Tasks:
Lesotho
Master of Advanced Studies in Medical Physics, MSc. Healthcare Technologies (Medical Imaging)
Born in a country without a cancer hospital, I’ve always dreamed of witnessing the day a patient walks out of a hospital where I work, cancer-free, knowing I played a part in that victory. This dream deepened through personal loss: a schoolmate, my cousin to breast cancer, and now a former colleague beginning chemotherapy.
I’ve seen cancer’s pain up close, and I hate it. My mission has since evolved into democratizing healthcare, especially radiotherapy, by developing affordable, effective, and patient-centred solutions that give countries like Lesotho access to the care everyone deserves.
The UPLIFT project and my research on establishing a clinical upright radiotherapy workflow embody this vision, offering a comfortable, cost-effective, and sustainable alternative for cancer treatment worldwide.
Through this project, I hope to connect, collaborate, and learn from leading experts in radiotherapy, industry innovators, and fellow researchers within and beyond UPLIFT.
I aim to gain cutting-edge innovative skills to tackle today’s healthcare challenges while embracing every lesson, smooth or tough, with gratitude. I also look forward to travelling widely, acquiring new expertise, and experiencing diverse cultures through the inspiring people I’ll meet along this journey.
My greatest inspiration comes from my mother and the cancer patients I’ve met throughout my journey. My mother, who worked tirelessly and sacrificed her hard-earned money to support my education despite never having one herself, taught me empathy, resilience, and the drive to help others.
I want to honour her sacrifices by contributing to the fight against cancer, developing the very innovations and solutions that could give patients, like those I’ve cared for, a second chance at life.
Additional:
Nkuebe Clement Moleko | LinkedIn
X: @MolekoNkuebe
